Argentina's Passion FUTBOL!

While immersing myself in the Argentinian culture, I can't do much about avoiding the 2nd love of this country. FUTBOL!

As I have been involved with an Argentinian Gentleman since circa 2005, it has become rather impossible to not spend at least 4 hours of our weekend watching WHATEVER ARGENTINIAN FUTBOL GAME THAT WE CAN GET IN OUR US TV to broadcast.

Yeah, yeah, I am screaming, maybe because when this weekly event is happening, the TV volume seems miraculously to make it to the max, and somehow, we end up trying to scream while talking to each other. And then we stop screaming, how rude!.... We need to hit that Asado, we don't talk with our mouths open.... Je je je

I don't mind. I have grown accustomed to this weekly ritual. And as for "Whatever Argentinian Futbol game we can get on our US TV", well that has rather changed. My fiancee has been a Die Hard hincha of Boca Juniors all his life, so after he had "indoctrinated" in the secrets of Futbol, he slowly also indoctrinated into the Xeneize culture. SO much, that we still watch every darn Argentinian Game that we can get in our US TV, as long as it is not "The Gallinas", you know, that Millionaire team.

It is amazing the Futbol Culture, the passion, the place it has in their lives. Regardless of what Club you follow or are hincha of, the game is a primordial part of your daily life. I have heard that even if you are a woman, if you don't try to hit a "balon" at some time in your life, you'd be considered weird over there.

This is a country that has passion, people that believe that if you have make the effort and your efforts have paid of, then they will pay you back. And this is in any way they can, Diego gave his entire youth and adulthood for the game and the country, now he's considered a role model, a hero, a saint, close to God, what the heck. I have a private joke that I will share; In my mind, when it comes to Argentinians, God had a son, and his name is Diego Maradona.

And the Diego worship crosses all boundaries, even now a day, no matter what club you follow, Diego continues to be the closest thing to God, (at least the God of Futbol!) According to what I hear, there are even religious altars that have the image of Diego, somewhere in Napoli, Italy.

Another thing, I don't know much about other clubs, I am hincha de Boca. I also know about the passion that rules the life of the "real Boca hinchas". Here are two examples.

A while back, I read somewhere, I can't remember where; There is an empty lot near La Bombonera (the stadium that Boca uses) and some Hinchas, I believe part of La Barra Brava (a group that has gone beyond being fanatics, they are just plainly obssesed). That was interested in getting a hold of this empty lot and wanted to make it a cemetary exclusive for Die Hard Barra Brava corpses. Kind of gory, but that is passion.

This one is courtesy of Daniel Quiroga (all the way from Ushuaia, but a huge Boca fan) in a phone call a while back.

Daniel: Horacio te tengo 2 noticias amigo.
Horacio: Bueno
Daniel: Me queda una semana de vida
Horacio: Bueno
Daniel: La otra es que me hice hincha de River
Horacio: COMO?
Daniel: Es que para que se muera un hincha de Boca, mejor que se muera un Gallina!

Gallina= chicken shit, scary cat, just plain scared out of their lives. The name the Boca hinchas call the River sorry hinchas.

Well, this is my itsy bitsy piece of Futbol Culture. I hope you learn something, a little, a lot. Just learn something like I have..... Living in Argentina either you learn or you bust!

N.

PS: Before I forget, Diego used the number 10 all his life in the teams he belonged to. The number 10 had been retired from the league until a certain young man made his debut in the Argentine league. This young man is Juan Roman Riquelme, my favorite player.... well, I am aware that he has no diplomatic skills and that he has an automatic connection between foot and mouth. But all this is forgiven when you see the skills of the player. Watch this player, he will be one for the history as well.